In Love and War by Carla Kelly

Author:Carla Kelly
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sweetwater Press
Published: 2012-04-13T04:00:00+00:00

General Picton was as good as his word. Two weeks later, he skirted around the battery as the men of the Second discharged their final rounds, preparatory to swabbing out the guns thoroughly and readying them for transport to Belgium. Redpath, his interest trained on his lovely six-pounders, was startled out of his black-powder reverie by Picton's hand on his shoulder.

“Yes, sir,” he said, removing the cork plugs from his ears and leaning close to his commander.

“I've found the place for your Marie Deux,” Picton shouted over the guns. “My family donates a cartload of money each year to St. Pancras Orphanage at Austell. I've already sent a letter and they will be expecting our French minx.”

Redpath nodded, his attention on his guns again as one of the gunners spilled a casing of powder. “Sergeant Mathey,” he shouted, leaping to his feet from his perch on a caisson. “On report! It's a wonder Soult didn't mash you in the last engagement!” He returned half of his attention to General Picton. “Excuse me, sir? St. Austell's out of St. Pancras?”

“No! The other way around! Austell!” The general grabbed Redpath by the neck and towed him away from the guns. “St. Pancras out of Austell. You know, near Land's End. Redpath, pay attention!” He shrugged, his irritation momentary. “At any rate, my ADC is drawing up a letter of introduction for you.”

“Have him give it to Lt. Parkhill, sir,” Redpath said, replacing his cork plugs. “Better yet, Parkhill is already packed and his case is in the courtyard. Have him put it inside, if you please, sir.”

Picton nodded, grinned, and gave Redpath a shove back toward the battery. “Letter to Parkhill, it will be. And I am interested in a report on this.” He held out his hand and Redpath removed one plug. “Let us clap hands, Major. I've never thanked you for six years of the best.”

Redpath shook his commander's hand, felt himself amply repaid, wondered why his eyes were brimming over—particularly since he was used to all that smoke—and returned to his guns. It was late that night before he reluctantly left the loading area, feeling out of sorts and melancholy as he always did, when he was going one way, and his guns another. Toulouse was quieter now, settling into the routine of peace. He passed the ambulance trains taking wounded back to the convalescent hospital at Fontarabia. He, Parkhill, and Marie Deux would ride with them tomorrow, leaving for home from the port in Spain. He looked up from his contemplation of the cobblestones to see Mrs. Hurley waiting for him outside his quarters, bundle in one hand, and Marie Deux in the other.

“Here she is, Major,” the woman said, bending down to straighten the cotton fichu on Marie's tidy bodice, and give her skirt a twitch. “Now, do as you're told, miss, and I'm sure you'll find a good family in England.”

You might as well tell her she's going to the moon, Redpath thought, as he watched Marie's eyes well up with tears.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.